Kin of my dearest friend
by Chibiscuit
Summary: Tallstar never thought he'd leave his home again. Especially not like this. Neither did he expect to be rescued by a fiery orange cat with leaf-green eyes, once more. Set during Fire and Ice. WindClan in banishment and Tallstar's first meeting with Fireheart. Tallstar POV.


**This is in Tallstar's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! Especially not Tallstar's heart. That will always belong to his Jake! *snickers*  
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"Here." Deadfoot meowed. Before Tallstar there stood a dark tunnel about twice his size in height. A small stream was flowing in the middle of the tunnel. Tallstar could feel panic gripping him at the thought of entering. After the tunnels on the moor had been sealed in on Heatherstar's orders, Tallstar had thought he'd never have to enter another one of those nightmares.

"The water's fresh." Deadfoot continued to report. "We'd be able to drink it."

"We'll have wet paws day and night!" Ashfoot's complaint ran numbly through his brain.

"I've been inside. There's some space away from the stream. At least we'll be safe from Twolegs and monsters." Deadfoot assured the gray she-cat. A silence followed. Tallstar slowly became aware of the anxious and expectant gazes of his Clanmates. His fur burned with them. _They're waiting for my orders._

Tallstar forced his neck hair to lay flat and promptly ignored the frantic beating of his heart. He was Clan leader, for StarClan's sake! What would his Clan do if they noticed him shivering like frightened kit because of a tunnel? _It's okay. It's a lot wider than a moor tunnel, even wider than Mothermouth._ Jake's voice rang through Tallstar's mind, encouraging him more than anything else ever could. He summoned an image of his old friend in his mind. His muscles relaxed slightly. He took a step forward and lifted his chin proudly. "WindClan has travelled for long enough. It's nearly a moon since ShadowClan drove us from our home. The weather is turning colder, leaf-bare will be here soon. We have no choice but to stay." He was trying to convince himself as much as his Clanmates but when he spoke, the words came out determined and steadfast. With one final swoop of his long tail, Tallstar ordered his Clan to follow him inside the dark depths of the Twoleg tunnel.

"Deadfoot, lead us to the dry spot." Tallstar felt his deputy brush past him to take the lead. The Clan followed in silence. Tallstar could feel the darkness press around him. It reminded him too much of a moor tunnel. Only there his nose wasn't being assaulted by the stank of monsters. Focusing on his breathing, Tallstar managed to remain calm as they went deeper into the tunnel. It seemed like moons upon moons had passed until Deadfoot stopped.

"Here it is."

Tallstar looked around in the dim moonlight that peeled in through a hole in the roof. The tunnel was much wider here and it did indeed seem dry. He nodded to his deputy before turning to the rest of his Clanmates. "Alright, it looks safe enough." He didn't feel safe at all though. "Get some sleep. We'll organise a hunting party in the morning."

There were some sceptical murmurings but no cat objected. They were too worn out to pay attention to their growling stomachs. Tallstar didn't look forward to eating rats. He didn't have particularly good memories of them. But it was that or starve and Tallstar silently vowed he'd lose all his lives before he'd let any member of his Clan starve. They'd just have to be careful. Tallstar wasn't a medicine cat but even the smallest kit could see that there grew no useful herbs in this place. _Or anything else for that matter._ He thought grimly.

His Clan had settled down for the night. The queens, kits and elders sleeping furthest to the back where it was driest with the warriors and apprentices closer to the stream. Only Deadfoot hadn't settled down yet.

"Get some rest. I'll keep watch." Tallstar told his deputy before he could propose the same thing to him. Deadfoot looked like he wanted to object but quickly thought better of it. With a grateful nod he joined the rest of the Clan. Tallstar took up position at the gap that led to the entrance. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep no matter how tired he was anyway. The oppressing murky darkness of the tunnel unnerved him more than he'd dare admit. On top of that, he still expected ShadowClan cats to storm inside in an attempt to finish what they'd started.

_Would things have been different if we'd still had the tunnels?_

Tallstar shook his head. What use did thinking about that now have? All that mattered now was that WindClan survived. The moor belonged to them. It was their home. _Home..._ Tallstar had spent a long time doubting where he belonged. How could he just let it be taken from him now?

Tallstar ground his teeth in frustration. _WindClan will return! _

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Tallstar curled his long tail around him, pressing his nose even tighter into the fur. Not only did it keep him warmer, but if he tried hard enough he could still pick up faint scent remains of the moor. He'd lost count of how many moons they'd been away now. Part of him was afraid Morningflower's kit would grow up knowing the moor only in tales he was told by the elders. He closed his eyes in an attempt to get some sleep. The tunnel shook violently as another monster roared across. Tallstar didn't flinch –none of his Clan did. With a pang of pain in his heart Tallstar realized that they'd all grown used to it by now. It almost felt normal. _Or they're all too worn-out to react. _Tallstar thought bitterly. Neither explanation was a good one.

"Intruder!"

At the warning yowl all WindClan members jumped up immediately, readying their battle line in front of the queens, kits and elders. Tallstar quickly crawled to his paws as well. He felt a surge of pride for his Clan. Despite their terrible conditions they still acted swiftly and according to the warrior code-as true WindClan cats should. He signalled at them with his tail to hold steady as he walked to the front to measure the threat himself.

Tallstar abruptly stopped. His breath caught in his throat. Before him in the dim light of the tunnel stood a young cat with a fiery orange pelt and bright leaf-green eyes. _Jake?! Is it really him...? _Tallstar sniffed the air, hoping fiercely to catch a whiff of Jake's familiar scent. Even after all these moons Tallstar knew he'd never forget that all he smelled was the stank of crowfood and monsters mingled with just the smallest hint of WindClan. He slowly padded over to the cat, his heart seeming to beat faster with every pawstep, hoping to see a flicker of recognition in the orange cat's eyes. His hopes fell a little when he noticed the cat had his eyes cast down so as not to appear threatening. _He's still young. Jake would be older now... _His heart sunk at the realization and when he looked closer he suddenly noticed there was a second cat present as well. A long-haired gray tom Tallstar didn't recognize at all. He circled around them, sniffing once more. The leafy scent of ThunderClan hit him and with it a mixture of disappointment and relief. It wasn't Jake but at least they weren't ShadowClan either.

"ThunderClan." He murmured to his Clanmates. They visibly relaxed but remained alert, never breaking their defensive line. As he walked back to sit in front of the two ThunderClan cats he caught another scent from the orange tom, so faint that it would've escaped any other cat. But Tallstar noticed.

"_And there will be a kit, kin of your dearest friend, who will need your help more than he knows."_ His father's words rang through Tallstar's mind as he looked at the orange cat. He could see him more clearly now. _But of course._ A warmth filled Tallstar. In his current condition of hunger and sleep deprivation Tallstar hadn't noticed right away. But he hadn't forgotten. He'd never forget.

"I was expecting ShadowClan." He growled, remembering that these cats were still members of another Clan and he should not let his guard down. "Why are you here?"

"We came to find you." Tallstar noticed the cat was nervous yet he bravely went on. "Bluestar and the other Clan leaders want you to return to your home."

_Home..._ Anger and sadness at the injustice his Clan had suffered welled up inside him again. "That land is not safe for my Clan anymore." He meowed, barely keeping his voice from cracking with emotion. He had to be strong for his Clan.

"ShadowClan has driven out Brokenstar. He's no longer a threat to you." Tallstar stared in disbelief. Behind him he heard his Clanmates murmur in surprise as well. Tallstar wanted to believe this news so badly but part of him just couldn't anymore.

"You must return as soon as possible." The urgency in the tone of his voice caught Tallstar's attention again. "RiverClan and ShadowClan are starting to hunt in the uplands. We saw a Riverclan hunting patrol near the old badger set while we were on our way here." Tallstar bristled with rage. How dare they! The moor belonged to WindClan!

"But they are poor rabbit hunters." It was the long-haired gray tom who spoke now. "I think they went home with empty bellies." Tallstar and his Clanmates purred in satisfaction. Of course they went home preyless. As if ShadowClan or Riverclan knew how to hunt on the moor! Yes, they'd have to go back home and show those thieving mangy pelts how it's done.

"May we travel with you?" The question broke his thoughts.

Tallstar looked long and hard at the orange cat. Such a tactful offer of help. Helping another cat regardless whether you knew them or not. Being careful not to put them in an awkward position. Honest yet diplomatic. Tallstar suppressed a wistful sigh. _ So much like you, my dear friend._

"Yes. Thank you."

The cat's ears perked up as if he just remembered something. He then dipped his head at his companion. "This is Graystripe and I am Fireheart. We are warriors of ThunderClan."

"Fireheart." Tallstar meowed the name slowly as he looked at the Thunderclan warrior once more. Sunlight was now shining through the roof of the tunnel. In the rays of light, Fireheart's pelt lit up in a fiery orange and his leaf-green eyes shone brightly. _He's your spitting image... _And he had come here with only one other cat to rescue an entire Clan, a different Clan, without even the smallest clue of where they were going or what would happen. _Courageously leaping to my rescue, huh?_ Tallstar's gaze softened with affection. _It would seem he takes after you in every possible way, Jake._

"The name suits you."

_Don't worry. I'll watch over your son as if he were my own._

_I promise._

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**I've been wanting to write something for Warrior Cats and ever since reading Tallstar's Revenge I've been thinking of Tallstar's thoughts in that tunnel and his meeting with Fireheart in Fire and Ice.  
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**I hope I didn't make any mistakes. I'm more used to reading Warrior Cats in Dutch so I hope I got the terms and names in English right.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed!**


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